IRVING, Texas, November 28, 2023 – The University of South Florida’s outside hitters Buse Hazan (Istanbul, Turkey) and Maria Clara Andrade (Sao Paulo, Brazil) were named to the 2023 American Athletic All-Conference First Team, while setter Caroline Dykes (Flower Mound, Texas) earned a spot on the second team, the league office announced on Tuesday. The trio earns All-Conference honors for the first time in their respective careers.
This is the first AAC All-Conference First Team selection since 2020 when Marta Cvitkovic (Rijeka, Croatia) earned a spot during her freshman season.
Hazan, a sophomore who missed last season due to injury, led the Bulls throughout the entire season in kills and aces. She finished the regular season with 423 kills and 38 service aces. Hazan earned the AAC Offensive Player of the Week once and a spot on the AAC Honor Roll three times. She set a new career high of 27 kills against North Texas. Behind the service line, Hazan opened the season with four straight matches with three service aces. She set a new career-high of four service aces against Tulane.
Andrade, a sophomore, is second on the team with 386 kills on the season. She has set a new career-high twice this season. The first was 24 against Temple and then 26 a week later against East Carolina. Andrade is third on the team in service aces with 27, setting a career-high in the five-set thriller against then No. 11 Florida. On the defensive side, she is second on the team in total blocks with 37 and is third on the team in digs with 250. Andrade earned the AAC Offensive Player of the Week honor twice this season. It was the first offensive honor for South Florida since 2016. She was named to the honor roll once.
Dykes, a junior, transferred to USF this season from ETSU and quickly made her presence known. She leads the team in assists with 1,027 – the first 1,000-assist season in her career. Dykes averages 9.17 assists per set. She is third on the team with 27 service aces. She set a season-high of three against Florida Atlantic. Defensively, she leads the team in digs with 278.
The full AAC All-Conference Team is below.
Player of the Year
Emma Clothier, Gr., MB, SMU
Libero of the Year
Sina Uluave, Gr., SMU
Setter of the Year
Celia Cullen, Sr., SMU
Freshman of the Year
Avery Burks, OH, Tulane
Coach of the Year
Sam Erger, SMU
First Team All-Conference
Angeles Alderete, So., OH, East Carolina
Sh’Diamond, Holly, Sr., MB, North Texas
Emilia Weske, Gr., RS, Rice*
Maria Clara Andrade, So., OH, South Florida
Buse Hazan, So., OH, South Florida
Emma Clothier, Gr., MB, SMU*
Celia Cullen, Sr., S, SMU*Sina Uluave, Sr., L, SMU
Jamison Wheeler, Jr., OH, SMU*
Kayley Cassaday, Gr., OH, Tulsa
Natalie Foster, Jr., MB, Wichita State*
Sophia Rohling, Sr., OPP, Wichita State
*denotes unanimous selection
Second Team All-Conference
Valeria Rosado, Jr., OH/RS, Florida Atlantic
Danyle Courtley, Sr., OH, Rice
Nia McCardell, Sr., L, Rice
Caroline Dykes, Jr., S, South Florida
Natalie Perdue, Sr., OH, SMU
Mia Soerensen, So., OPP, UTSA
Morgan Stout, R-Jr., MB, Wichita State
Izzi Strand, Sr., S, Wichita State
About USF Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her fourth season at the helm of her alma mater in 2023. Named head coach on Jan. 8, 2020, Shepardson led the Bulls’ program to its last conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance as a student-athlete in 2002. USF made its last postseason appearance in 2018, posting 20 wins and appearing in the NIVC. USF Volleyball has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances and won 12 conference titles since its inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus.
Be sure to follow USF women’s volleyball on social media (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
– #GoBulls –
